Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Woman of Interest

Hi everyone! VP/Managing Editor Julie here. I'm a member of this social networking website called Gaia, and every so often we get emails from someone named Siona. The most recent email I received from her contained information on an admirable woman I think we could all learn from. Here's the email:

Recommends....

Who is Isha?

Hello beautiful people!

Not long ago, I discovered an intriguing conversation between a few Gaians who were discussing the difference between the numbers of male and female spiritual teachers. Is it true, they wondered, that today there were more women starting to step into this role?

Since then, it's been a topic that's been on my mind. And (unsurprisingly) it didn't take long for one of these new voices to step into the community. Her name is Isha, and she's a teacher who not only challenges the traditional idea of the male spiritual leader, but embodies what it means to be a contemporary, cosmopolitan woman--a living example that enlightenment and spirituality is not incompatible with modern life.

Though you might not have heard of her in the US, Isha is already a best-selling author, widely recognized in the rest of the world. (Originally from Australia, she's lived in South America for nearly a decade, where she founded the Isha Foundation Education for Peace.)

Isha is about to embark on her first tour of North America, an event that coincides with the launch of her book, Why Walk When You can Fly (through New World Library). It's the first of her books to be published in the United States, as well as the first written introduction to her system and philosophy of enlightenment.

Isha's bright practicality and her commitment to making a difference in the world outside as well as that within is beautiful. She recently worked with over 940 inmates in a high security prison in Mexico City, and in doing so she unites unconditional love, acceptance, and compassionate understanding with real-world actions that do make a difference. Her goal, she says, (with lighthearted wisdom) is to "demystify enlightenment."

So let's welcome Isha! Have a look at her site (you're sure to be inspired) and if you can't make one of her tour stops, I'd happily recommend her new book: she's a rare and fresh voice, and seems to have a knack at finding the right people at the right time. If you're reading this, there's a good chance you could be one of them. :)